Growing Up
by kiragecko
Summary: Twenty minutes of glaring at the computer passed tolerably. She made supper and set the table, even washed a counter or two halfheartedly. The computer smirked at her avoidance techniques, knowing she’d give in when she was faced with the dishes.
1. Chapter 1

Growing Up

By kiragecko

_Not mine. Which is good since I'm meaner then Marvel. There really should be a restraining order so I can't ruin Jube's and Logan's world anymore. Still, I think this one has a sickeningly sweet ending, or at least will, so that's okay. They'll be fine – you might be feeling ill, but they'll be fine._

Ch.1 – Happy donut days and evil computers

The bright sun was making her feel light and happy, she noticed with amusement. Apparently killing those guards had upset her more then she had thought. The happy feeling was rare enough to be appreciated and when the smell of donuts hit her she didn't stop to consider. Why go home depressed about donuts?

Four donuts and half a hot chocolate later Jubilee flopped onto a park bench with a contented sigh. Two left. These were the good kind, like the mini donuts she used to eat when… when she was in Canada. Rats, now there was a dark cloud skulking around in her happy mood. She glared at two nice looking people until they walked away in confusion. That made her feel a bit better.

She wandered the park, absentmindedly going through the donuts and drink. Eventually she arrived at her apartment and climbed the stairs, still smiling softly. Once inside her room she even danced a bit, putting on one of her country CD's. She turned it off after a bit, when it threatened to bring back memories, and put some pop on.

She was really going to have to get some new music soon, but it was hard when you lived in Japan and liked your music fresh. She turned it off and listened to her messages – two jobs for tomorrow and a guy from the bar that wanted a date. He sounded like the one whose wrist she'd broken. She erased the message, not interested in people who found pleasure in pain. She knew too many.

* * *

Twenty minutes of glaring at the computer passed tolerably. She made supper and set the table, even washed a counter or two half-heartedly. The computer smirked at her avoidance techniques, knowing she'd give in when she was faced with the dishes. There wasn't any mold; they'd sit for a while yet. 

She slurped noodles while she checked her e-mail. Serve the stupid computer right if she fried it with noodle juice. There were all the usual messages – five from 'Ro, two from Scott, one from Hank. None from Kitty today, she seemed to have given up. Jubilee deleted all of them and looked for the one from Bobby. There was always at least one from him, and she usually read it. He'd been her friend for a long time.

She found the ones from Paige first. Three of them. She thought for five minutes before deleting them. Unread. Then she deleted the sixteen junkmail messages. There, she'd finally found Bobby's.

-Hi, Jubes

-I know I promised but don't delete this. Please. Kitty's

There was more, of course. She managed to close it before her eyes skipped to the next lines. That liar! Tears streaked her cheeks as she stamped though the tiny apartment. Pain burned in her chest as she fought to keep all the dangerous thoughts out of her mind. What had been so important that he'd risk burning her last bridge? He'd promised! He'd promised not to talk about anything, just to talk. He'd promised that they could be friends; that he had to deal with all the other stuff to much anyways. He'd promised!

* * *

She ran down the stairs, out the front door, and through the park. She dropped, not realizing it was onto the same bench as before. Kitty. What was he going to say about Kitty? It didn't matter. She hadn't written in a while… It DIDN'T matter. She never read Kitty's stuff, of course. The woman believed if you made someone guilty enough they'd do whatever you wanted them to. She hadn't spoken to Kitty even before she left. Still, Kitty was stubborn. Why had she given up? 

IT DIDN'T MATTER!

But it did.

* * *

-Hi, Jubes 

-I know I promised but don't delete this. Please. Kitty's  
-just so depressed. She doesn't talk much anymore and  
-she's always crying. Hank's really worried. Says she

Not her problem. Why would Kitty be so depressed? She had a job, a life, a personal identity. She wasn't getting sucked back in. She knew that every time it was harder to get back out. Look at Bobby. He'd come back and now he was a lump of ice 24/7 and hadn't had a relationship in years. It wasn't her problem. Kitty was probably still mooning after Wisdom. Not her problem.

But Bobby thought it was.

* * *

-Hi, Jubes 

-I know I promised but don't delete this. Please. Kitty's  
-just so depressed. She doesn't talk much anymore and  
-she's always crying. Hank's really worried. Says she  
-could be suicidal. Wisdom's here. We thought maybe  
-he could help.

-Look, you have to know what's going on. You have to  
-have read SOME of their e-mails. We need you. Logan

That evil, slimy, horrible JERK! She almost fried the computer before coming to her senses. These days she had to pay for everything she destroyed. It taught self-control better then any class she'd ever taken. Instead she stared at the wall, the floor, anything other then that evil screen. She didn't want to know about Him. She didn't want to ever hear about Him again. What if He was the reason Kitty's depressed? What if He was… dead? No. Impossible. NO!

-Look, you have to know what's going on. You have to  
-have read SOME of their e-mails. We need you. Logan  
-isn't getting any better. You have read some of them,  
-haven't you? He's gone crazy, Jubes. He's completely  
-lost it. He needs you. He's just staring at the wall blankly  
-and not even Kitty can get through to him. Feral. Feral  
-and without a will to live. Please, Jubes. We can't  
-take this anymore. I know I promised but this iskilling us.

-Come back. Hate me, but come back.

-Bobby.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch.2 – Skanky but sophisticated

The plain taxied to a stop outside of the airport. Hank watched it worriedly. He was trying, with a mind trained on quantum mechanics and chemical reactions of diabolical complexity, to figure a way to get the person on this plane through the mansion safely. He was stumped.

It would have helped if Scott could have come. Scott understood tactics better then him. The e-mail, however, had been firm.

-I'm coming. Pick me up. Don't bring anyone. Not Scott and DEFINANTLY not Bobby. I don't want to talk to anyone.

Still, she was coming.

* * *

The skirt was shorter then she usually wore and the heels higher. It bordered on trashy but would be pretty tame in the mansion. If anyone else was wearing it. Big, dangly earrings, a bit too much makeup (to hide the red eyes), and a tiny little purse. But the colours were simple and elegant, her hair was sophisticated, her neckline conservative, and she was moving like a dangerous cat – or at least as much like a cat as a 5 foot nothing with short legs can do. The get up might be low class but it was obvious she wasn't. 

It was equally obvious she wasn't a child. That was important.

* * *

Hank gasped when he saw her and then ran to catch up with her retreating back. She didn't even glance at the luggage return. She was travelling light.

The drive back was strained. The anybody she didn't want to talk to obviously included him. He relaxed a little. She was past polite. This meant that there wouldn't be any trouble at the mansion. If they didn't get out of her way on their own they'd be removed from it.

* * *

She stalked through the mansion, pausing only long enough to get directions from Hank. Kitty was by the door she needed to enter. Kitty gasped but didn't stop her. Kitty opened the door. She didn't have time for Kitty but the opened door was nice. She wasn't sure if she was capable with anything as complicated as a door knob right now. 

She was talking as she entered. More babbling then anything. Jubilee had survived most of her life by talking faster then most people could think. Right now she was trying to outpace herself.

"Hey, Wolvy. You're an idiot, you know that? This is your stupidest stunt yet. I'm young, I'm allowed to make dramatic gestures and march out. You're not. I had a life, you know!" _Make sure you're smiling. Keep your voice sunny._ "I was perfectly happy with your old bosses. I liked Japan, I liked my apartment, I'd gone on a couple dates. I can't believe how selfish you are. I didn't want to come back here!" _Make sure none of the security cameras are working. Make sure no ones watching._ "I was getting good at the merc stuff. Bobby came and visited me once, Paige and me hung out…" _This is NOT the time to think about your fight with Paige. Or maybe it is. _"We fought, you know. Paige and I. She wanted to bring some of my 'friends' down. I said no. I've actually been terribly antisocial, so don't think its just you. Course, it is BECAUSE of you. You're all they talked about. Now I know why, but STILL…"

* * *

Hours passed. Kitty came in with some food. Jubilee ate. Logan didn't. He hadn't moved since she had arrived. He looked like he never moved, anymore. She started talking again. Eventually she cried. After that she yelled. After that she talked again, quiet and smiling.

* * *

"…a stupid stubborn idiot. But you'll crack. You haven't had as much practice at this as I have. You're usually homicidal – which is, by the way, far less annoying. What I need is a plan. What sort of things make you go psycho?" 


	3. Chapter 3

_A confrontation. A conclusion. And no exclamation points. _

Ch.3 - Fighting through the pain

"What did you do to him? You're a jerk, you know that Pryde? What, you don't even care enough to talk to him? Or maybe he just doesn't care enough to talk to you. That why you wanted me back? He couldn't care less about you and you needed my help? I wouldn't be-"

Kitty had lasted longer then Jubilee had thought she would but now she lunged. The tray of food clattered to the floor. Jubilee dropped and rolled, praying she was fast enough. A body hurled itself through the space she had been in a moment before. Jubes started talking. If she didn't talk fast enough she was going to be dead.

"Thanks, Kitty. You know I'm really sorry for being a jerk like that but you know Wolvy, he thinks everything thing can be solved by fighting so I thought that he'd try to. Like, you know, save me if I got in trouble so I got you mad at me and _did you see him move_ but you should probably leave now I've got to talk to him, you know, like you do when he's feral and I think he's still mad so I gotta calm him down – you really should leave – thanks, you're the greatest, oh, hi Wolvy, there's nothing to be mad about, Kitty's like Miss Perfect, she wouldn't have hurt me badly you know…"

* * *

"…Gees, I'm crying again. I wonder how long I've been doing that. I missed you, you know. Stupid thing to say, but I did. I missed everyone. I even missed Kitty, who I don't even like! I don't care how many times I've said this already but this was a stupid thing to do. You know that I'm hungry? Should have got the tray before she rushed me.."

"Kid?"

"'cause then I would have got something to eat – oh, you're talking again, that's good, don't mind me I'm just crying, you're the stupidest idiot on the planet and I hate you and after this I'm never talking to you again and Kitty was SUICIDAL you jerk and it was all my fault so I hate you and I erased all her e-mails and she needed my help and why didn't you listen to HER and now she hates me even more 'cause you attacked her which was my fault too and, oh Wolvy!"

* * *

It's been said you never truly grow up, that you're always a child when you come home. Perhaps it's true. Jubilee certainly looked like a child, wrapped up in Wolverine's arms, crying into his chest. Kitty was the big sister, watching them, both grateful and jealous, through the doorway. Too scared to come in and break them up, afraid that her mentor might turn on her, claws drawn. She would get over her fear, Logan would give her a tired smile. She would put down the tray and Jubilee would finally turn, makeup smeared and skirt hiked up to an indecent height, maturity forgotten as she exclaimed over the food. Kitty would drop beside Logan for a gentle hug and would be sitting beside him when Jubilee turned back. They'd look at each other, forgive the past, and share out the meal. When they finally got up, there would be three grown ups, and they'd go to separate rooms, exhausted by the day.

Now, however, there's just a family - a father and two daughters - and all the pain that they share. It's hard growing up.


End file.
